Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-02-18
"rhere has been some mistake" I STAN


mered. 'You are not our cousin, after all.
You should have been ashamed to have treat
ed us so badly" ! go on severely, as fancy
detect symptoms OF guilt In the face before
me.
Law, sakes" exclaims my companion. ia
ken back at such a sudden attack, rubbing
her eyes and starring aghast at me.
And I'd IKE 10 know who set up 10 be your
cousin" with scornful emphasis on the
possessive pronoun, while an indignant flush
passes over her face DO tell ~ she cries out
wrathfully, her American accent coming out
strongly. "And I'd like 10 know who's been
treated badly II IT'S not an honest servant
Girl, brought here from Ameriky by them as
made her fair promises, and then turned her
sdrift when she had served their purposes.
Didn't your mother engage met and I'd like
TO know what she found TO complain OF al
ready"
Engage you" echo, while i hear faint
exclamation from the group gathered at the
foot of the stairs.
Yes, engage me-" she reiterates sngrlly,
land IL you don't believe me I'll show you
the letter Mrs. Harvey got from her, and see
II you won't believe your own eyes "
'You don't need to-, j respond, a light
breaking In on my mind. "Who do you say
engaged your
''Your mother" she repeats in an angry
tone, thinking ] am triling with her, "Mrs.
White, and III find her letter In second,
too"
"Then our names not White" / say "and
you've come to the wrong house. We expect
en- our cousin today, and when you arrived
OF course we took you for her"
who may you be, thenw she inquiries,
somewhat staggered, but still defiant
Mrs. White lives on the opposite side Of the
street." / say soothngly, not needing the
question, and feeling that, after all, from the
poor woman's point OF view she has been
rather badly treated
"You had better 90 back to bed, and every
thing can be set right in the morning." / con-
tinued cheerfully, as my companion bursts in
to an angry tit Of tears Then she closes the
door unceremoniousy In my face, and de-
scend the stairs to see the effect OF the extra
ordinary revelations on the minds OF the 9th
ers. Jack and Ada are tittering. ] see by the
twitching Of the meu's Zip, that their gravity
has been put 10 sever test Mother alone
looks vexed and annoyed.
Glad that IT'S nothing more serious than a
mistake ma am" says the tall policeman at
last. Il think, as were not needed, wen say
good night" and then they 60 leaving Us feel
ing chagrined and small but withal relieved.
Our indignant guest takes leave OF Us in the
early morning, and she and her belongings
are safely housed with Mrs White over the
way, who IL seems, had begun 10 despair OF
her new handmade, and is unfeignedly glad
when she makes her appearance Poor MARY
| Her democratic ideas which she found so sat
isfactorily carried out in our house and at oui
table will doubtless receive shock in her new
abode Neither is it probable that her new
mistress will relegate to her her best spare
bedroom, so that it is 10 be feared her candidly
expressed opinion Of our country will undergo
no change for the better.
The real Cousin Mary more than fulflls ou
greatest expectations. She is tall and fair anC
beautiful in short, just what we can exhib
! to the St Clsres and our various friends, with
! pardoDable feelings Of pride.
MANY a time we indulge in a hearty laugh
when we look across the street and see MARY
washing down the doorsteps or polishing NJ
the brasses, and recall the never-to-b be forgot
ten evening, when our foolish hearts sank a
the prospect Of long month spent IN clos,
compan ionship with her.-Glasgow citizen